Again, I would just like to say that I CANT STOP
LOOKING AT MYSELF! Anyway, I hope you both have been
well and that the Holiday craziness has not made you
too insane yet. As for me, the call back was insanity.
I was there from about six hours....the longest six
hours of my life. Once I sang my song (in full this
time) they put us into groups and made us harmonize
with different people. Anyway, it was mostly a lot of
waiting. I still haven't heard back but I know i
couldnt have done any better, so we'll see. The next
few weeks are going to be crazy, but I would love to
get a few more 8x10s of some other shots, a contact
sheet, and comp cards made. I would love to include
them in my Xmas cards, but if there is not enough time
I would totally understand. Again, thank you for drawing my
confidence out and making me look like a star!
Love
Dariana

On Nov 7, 2006, at 2:58 PM

Dear Thaddeus,

I don't know if you or Rusty would remember me. My name is Kenny Wade Marshall. You did my very first NYC professional headshots YEARS ago!

I've tried a few other photographers since and I have to say that none of those photos got me called in as much as the wonderful work that you and Rusty did.

I am currently signed with a new agent and would love to work with you again as I'm looking to update (I've aged some!) and do color photographs this time. I would be looking to do the Professional Package that you offer.

Please let me know if this is possible and how appointments look for ya'll over the next couple of months? Looking forward to hearing from you.

Just wanted to let you know how pleased we are with the photos that you took of Ilana. She was very happy with the entire experience with you and your wife. We have sent the link to your web site far and wide and hope that may generate some business for you!

It's great that you're using her in the Backstage ad!! She's really excited about that-

Thanks again for all the support you've provided Ilana in this next stage of her life- it's hard having her so far away from home and reassuring that she's meeting such good people.

Sandy and Steve Friedman

From: "Tiffany Schafert"
To: thaddeus@thaddeuswatkins.com

Hi Thaddeus,

Wow its great to hear from you! I'm sorry it took me a little while to respond. I can't thank you and Rusty enough for coming to the premier of Praey. You know, I invited a lot of my friends from NY to come, and more than most didn't. I'm not angry at them, but it really means a lot when you see who comes and supports you. Especially after a couple years out of the city. I have to say that I was totally taken back when I turned around and saw Rusty standing there saying 'hi' to me....it was like a time warp. it totally took me a second to wrap myself around the fact that it was you guys and you were there! yeah! I certainly sent you the invitation thinking that you may want to come....but after the time that had passed, I guess I didn't really know if you would. I was so pleasantly shocked! In a really great way!
Again, not that I assumed that you wouldn't, but I mean, we are all so busy and its been a while! It meant so so so much to me that you both came. I really mean that! Thank you so much for you never ending support. I had a small audience an Berenice too, but you where there..... You really are the sweetest people!
I was more than happy to put a link to you on my site. I'm glad you mentioned it, I sometimes just dont think of things. but again, I'm more than happy to point people to you and let everyone know who took those wonderful pics of me! I'd refer you to anyone. I often day dream about being succesful enough that I can go back to my friends that are so talented and hire them for bigger things. I think to myself...wow, wouldn't it be cool if I got a big film deal and could have Thaddeus come take our stills! god only knows if that will ever happen, but I don't forget people. I think about all the talented friends I have and how much I want to cast them in bigger roles. I have a small distributor that offered me a foreign contract on Praey, and I sit and think, wow, if I did better next time, maybe I could give them the chance to branch into theatrical release! yeah, I'm a day dreamer, I know, but I really to love my friend and the people that support me, and you have never been forgotten.

so you have a print of that parapet pic on your wall! WOW! I'm so stinking flattered! I love the pics we took. that one is one of the best! I think maybe a lot of gals wonder if later they will feel odd about taking nude pics. But you make art and take beautiful pictures and I have never questioned my choice once. I was pretty sure of that when I did it, but these years later, I can still tell you that I'm flattered that you photographed me and I love the picures still. I would love to shoot with you again some day. I can rather feel my body changing with time. I'm 36 now.....but I would still love to shoot if the opportunity came about. and at least, you captured me before my aging downfall! LOL I really think that my photo shoots with you were some of my best memories of NY. I miss the talent, the fun, the freedom...so many things. but I really do think of my filming sessions with you and smile. even for the standard headshot stuff. you had a wonderful way of making me feel comfy and letting me be myself. I couldn't ask for a better photographer. for the record, I haven't had promo shots taken since. I couldn't possibly go to someone here in Washington! I mean, after all, I shot with you! :O) If I can, the next time Im in NY, I'd like to shoot with you again. I have no idea when that will be....but you remain my choice in photographers. no doubt. I'm still just too flattered that you have that pic of me on your wall! wow, I'm honored! I still want to do that bathtube nude shot of me covered in ice, wearing only jewelry, and holding a martini glass shot in infra-red! I know it would totally suck to be covered in ice, but what a cool damn shot! And yeah, sticking with the beautiful but scary stuff....oh wow, what a door that opens. I wish I was there!
so I'll end here. Again, you are both the most wonderful people for coming to Praey. I actually watched you cringing in your seat when Sara's teeth got knocked out, and I was thinking "man, he is the best audience member ever!"....and because we have talked and you saw Berenice, I know that you, of all people, knew where I was going with it.... And I so totally appreciated Rusty talking to me about the good sound work afterwards. truth be told, the film cost me about 2 grand and 3 months of my time....That's not considering all the equipment I purchased. but it was so cheaply done, that I can't believe that its even watchable let alone that I have even a small distributor. I planned it as much as I could. but I had never done anything like it before. The film exhausted me and it was a true labor of love. 16 hours days....we shot 3/4 of the film in 4 days. Everything that happened at the cabin or in the woods was shot in 4 days. and that water I got into was snow melt down water from the mountains....its was hypothermia just waiting to happen. we shot it as quick as we could. the Dp had his feet in the water and I was obviously in the water. its funny now that after I went under, I had planned a longer sequence of me (Sara) swimming upstream....but the water was so cold that as soon as I went under I got numb...the footage you see in the film, dubbed over, is really me yelling my so called safety word for the crew to get me the hell out....I thought I was going to drown! My DP couldn't feel his feet and I shivered for about 30 minutes in a blanket after it all. it got so rushed because the water was literally too cold to be in. I can swim, but once I fell in, I couldn't swing anymore. I guess it worked on film....but I wasn't acting much! LOL it seems sort of surreal that it worked. I have picked up a few editing jobs since, that pay "ok". And my role in Praey got me a role in someone else's film back east for next year. I guess they liked me! and we are planning a vampire movie for maybe this fall. who knows what will happen. I'm enjoying the journey no matter what! I wish you both nothing but happiness and success until next we meet. I really miss you a lot!
cheerios!